Tag: lipstick

Red lipstick is a makeup chameleon. The shade is classic and can transform any modern, edgy, bright, or romantic makeup look. Despite the beauty of red lipstick, it can be a pain to apply thanks to feathering, smudging or streakiness. If you’re planning to rock a red lip this season, here are a few tips you need to know!

Powder the lips to prevent feathering

This is a unique trick that I rely on when my lip liner is running low. To prevent feathering or bleeding lipstick, apply powder to the lips before applying lip colour. The powder gives the lipstick a base to adhere to which helps the colour stay in place.

Prep your lips first

Red lipstick adheres best to smooth and hydrated lips. Apply a lip scrub to exfoliate, then follow up with a balm to hydrate before selecting your favourite shade of red to ensure maximum colour payoff.

Apply a lip liner that matches your lipstick shade

Red lipstick is not forgiving when it comes to lines or mistakes. If your lipstick bleeds often, apply a lip liner to your pout to prevent lipstick from fading or emphasizing lines or texture.

I adore lip liner. After losing more than one lip liner recently, I purchased a new one from Smashbox. I was excited to try a creamy liner, and this one packs incredible staying power when applied!

The Packaging

Smashbox’s Always Sharp Lip Liner is lightweight and easy to use. The liner is formatted like a pencil, and has a cap that self-sharpens when twisted into place. The liner is sophisticated and bears the ‘Smashbox’ logo.

The Lip Liner

The lip liner is creamy and long-wearing. Because it is a self-sharpening lip liner, it automatically sharpens each time the cap is closed. Unlike pencil lip liners, this one does not tug when I apply it to my lips. It dries down without feeling crumbly or tacky.

How to use it

To sharpen the lip liner, twist the cap closed until it clicks. To apply the lip liner, trace along the lines of your lip to achieve the desired pigment.

The Shades

I love the diverse shade range of these lip liners! This liner is available in a range of 15 shades:

Nude Dark – Deep chestnut

Nude Medium – Medium beige

Nude Light – Beige pink

Audition – Neutral rose

Safe Word – Rose nude

Rosebud – Mauve pink

Stylist – Rose

Crimson – True blue-red

Figgy – Red grape

Fireball – Bright orange red

Pinch Me – Bright coral

Screen Queen – Burgundy-red

Violet – Berry

Plum Role – Dark plum

Punked – Deep grey

Nude Fair – Light pink

Smashbox’s Always Sharp Lip Liner is a perfect alternative to traditional lip liner formulas if you want a creamy liner that doesn’t dry out the lips. I love wearing this product daily to increase the longevity of my lipstick! Each liner retails for $26 at Sephora.

I adore liquid lipstick! The fluid formulas are opaque like traditional lipsticks, but last longer and dry to a matte, transfer-proof finish. Liquid lipstick can be tricky to apply at first, so I’m sharing my favourite tips to help make the application a breeze!

1. Prep your lips

This step is crucial, since most liquid lipsticks are drying. I always like to exfoliate and moisturize my lips before applying a lip liner to ensure that my lipstick has maximum wear.

2. Use less product than you think you need

It is better to start with a small amount of product then add more as needed. This will make it easier to apply additional lipstick without your lips feeling caked or dry.

3. Avoid lip balm

Lip balm tends to breakdown liquid lipstick. Rather than applying lip balm throughout the day, you should apply it during your lip prep.

Blush is for more than just adding colour to your cheeks. There are multiple ways to add blush to your daily makeup routine. A beautiful blush shade is a versatile for the eyes, cheeks, and lips.

Turn your favourite shade into a nail polish colour

Crush a small amount of blush to turn it into a powder before mixing it into transparent nail polish. After adding the blush, shake the nail polish bottle well to blend the colour. Apply it to your nails the same way as other nail polishes.

Blend out tan lines

Do you have any unwanted tan lines? To cover (or blend out) tan lines, dip a large, fluffy brush into a light blush shade. Blend the blush into your skin to block out tan line.

Create a monochromatic colour palette

Blush is an ideal tool for creating a monochromatic makeup look. With just one product, you can add more vibrance to your face. Apply your favourite shade of blush to the eyes, lips, and cheeks for monochromatic makeup. I like to create this look with peach or pink blush.

I recently purchased a new foundation from Sephora, and while shopping, added a few new items into my cart. Here’s a peek at the summer edition of my Sephora haul!

Smashbox Studio Skin Hydrating Foundation

I switch foundations each summer and winter. I previously used Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup, but wanted a new foundation with more coverage. I bought Smashbox Studio Skin Hydrating Foundation after being colour-matched in store, and absolutely love it! The foundation is lightweight, but provides medium-to-full coverage with one swipe. Stay tuned for a full review, but it’s a holy-grail product for me so far!

Sephora’s 2018 Beauty Insider Birthday Gift: Bite Beauty

I redeemed my birthday gift with this trip. This year, I selected the birthday gift set from Bite Beauty. This set contains a sample sized Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Chai, a mini Lip Crayon in Glace, and a sample of the Agave Lip Balm. I’ve worn the lipstick a few times, and it is a beautiful mauve-brown colour.

Tarte Creaseless Under Eye Concealer

I’ve always wanted to try Tarte’s infamous Shape Tape Concealer, however it has never been available in Canadian Sephora stores. When my local Sephora debuted Tarte’s Creaseless Under Eye Concealer, it was a perfect time to try it. This concealer is thick, but provides incredible coverage of dark spots and blemishes. I like that it is creamy without feeling watery or stiff.

I recently placed a MAC order to replace my empty bottle of Fix+. While placing my order, I decided to try a new lipstick colour. I’ll review each product separately, but here’s a peek at the items I purchased!

MAC Fix+

I bought my first bottle of Fix+ while in Toronto last summer, and I apply it daily to finish my makeup. The first item I placed in my cart was another bottle of Fix+ to replenish the bottle I just used the last of!

Matte Lipstick in Russian Red

I always buy a new lipstick when I go to a MAC store. The colour Russian Red is a beautiful deep red. I decided on this colour after browsing the red shades available. I’m excited to wear this red shade throughout the summer.

Cremesheen Lipstick in Nippon

I’ve never tried a cremesheen lipstick from MAC before, but the shade Nippon is a gorgeous nude colour with pink undertones. This shade will be a pretty nude pink shade to wear this season. I typically wear bolder lipstick colours, but this will be a perfect summer shade!

I wear a lot of lipstick. As a result, my lips consistently feel dry and chapped. I decided to try Bite Beauty’s Agave Lip Mask. I have not tried a lip mask before this one, but this one delivers intensive moisture!

The Packaging

The mask is contained in a triangular, slate-grey tube. It is sleek and sophisticated, bearing the ‘Bite Beauty’ logo on the outside. I like that this packaging is lightweight. The tube has a small nozzle to dispense the mask.

The Mask

The mask itself is dense and thick, with a slightly grainy texture. Because of the thick texture, I find that the mask creates a transparent film on my lips that effectively locks-in moisture. The mask has a pleasant honey scent with hints of vanilla. To my surprise, the mask feels lightweight when applied to my lips.

How to use it

Squeeze a small amount of the mask onto the tip of your finger and apply to the lips.

Bite Beauty’s Agave Lip Mask is available in 5 colours:

Lavender – Pale pink

Maple – Sheer bronze

Champagne – Rose gold pearl

Smashed – Sheer candy-apple red

Natural – Clear

I own the shade Natural. If you are looking for a hydrating, quick lip mask I’d recommend Bite Beauty’s Agave Lip Mask. It retails for $30 at Sephora.

I adore a new MAC lipstick. After recently placing a MAC order (stay tuned for a MAC haul!) I decided to write a post that will help you distinguish each lipstick finish offered by the brand!

Matte – This is MAC’s most long-wearing, opaque lipstick finish. There is no glitter or shine present in a matte lipstick. Typically, a matte lipstick does not feather with wear, but it can feel drying on the lips.

Retro Matte – A retromatte finish is very drying, and it can be difficult to apply to the lips. Retro matte applies fully opaque. This lipstick lasts for 4-6 hours when applied,

Amplified – This formula is opaque, but has a slightly translucent finish. Amplified lipsticks are creamy but have a short wear time.

Satin – Satin lipsticks are highly opaque. They are long-wearing, and offer a translucent finish. Satin finishes are non-drying.

Glaze – This finish is sheer. The colour of glaze lipsticks is not opaque, and offers a glossy finish.

I typically only wear liquid lipsticks from Anastasia Beverly Hills. However, when the brand announced release of new mini matte lipstick sets, I knew I had to try one! I bought the Pink Matte Lipstick set recently. The set of four mini lipsticks come in a variety of gorgeous pink and berry shades for summer.

The Packaging

Each lipstick is encased in a sleek bullet that features a black and metallic-gold design. The top of each bullet bears the Anastasia Beverly Hills logo. The lipsticks are lightweight, small, and travel-friendly.

The Shades

This set contains a beautiful combination of four pink shades:

Cotton Candy – Bubblegum pink

Orchid – Magenta with purple undertones

Plumeria – Deep plum

Stargazer – Bright hibiscus pink

The Wear

Before buying this set, I’d never tried a matte lipstick from Anastasia Beverly Hills. I was curious to compare the formula to the brand’s liquid lipsticks! The lipsticks glide smoothly onto the lips, and set to a matte finish that doesn’t feel drying. The formula wears for 4-5 hours without fading.

This lipstick set is a travel-friendly combination of summery colours. The size of each lipstick is small, but it is ideal for tossing into my purse each morning! Anastasia Beverly Hills Mini Matte Lipstick Sets retail for $21 at Sephora. The set is also available in nude shades.

I recently received a sample of BareMinerals Statement Matte Liquid Lipstick from Sephora. This lipstick is a long-wearing, comfortable liquid lipstick. I typically do not buy lipstick from brands such as BareMinerals or Dior, so I was quite excited to test this liquid lipstick from BareMinerals!

The Packaging

This lipstick comes in a squared tube with a black top. The tube itself is lightweight, and bears the colour of the lipstick held inside. Similar to most liquid lipsticks, this one has a doe-foot applicator to apply lip colour evenly. The tube bears the ‘BareMinerals’ logo and it looks sleek and sophisticated.

The Wear

This lipstick dries matte, and feels very comfortable on the lips. I wear the lipstick for 4-5 hours throughout the day and it does not flake or smudge.

The Colour

I instantly loved the colour. The sample I received was in the shade ‘Fire’, a gorgeous orange-red. The colour appears as a bright, vibrant red with orange undertones when applied to the lips.

This lipstick is available in a range of 9 shades, including:

Luxe – Dirty pastel pink

Fire – Bright orange-red

VIP – Crimson

Naughty – Oxblood-red

Juicy – Brick red

Shameless – Hot pink

OMG – Magenta

Flawless – Muted plum

Devious – Burgundy with a lilac undertone

BareMinerals Statement Matte Liquid Lipstick is a long-wearing, comfortable formula. I adore the colour selection and it offers shades that are versatile for day or night. This lipstick retails for $19 at Sephora.